Enzymatic Synthesis and Structural Confirmation of Novel Oligosaccharide, D-Fructofuranose-linked Chitin Oligosaccharide

Utilizing transglycosylation reaction catalyzed by β-N-acetylhexosaminidase of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1)-α-N, N´diacetylchitobioside (GlcNAc2-Fru) was synthesized from N-acetylsucrosamine and N, N´-diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc2), and β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1)-α-N, N´, N´´-triacetylchitotrioside (GlcNAc3-Fru) was synthesized from GlcNAc2-Fru and GlcNAc2. Through purification by charcoal column chromatography, pure GlcNAc2-Fru and GlcNAc3-Fru were obtained in molar yields of 33.0 % and 11.7 % from GlcNAc2, respectively. The structures of these oligosaccharides were confirmed by comparing instrumental analysis data of fragments obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis and acid hydrolysis of them with known data of these fragments.